Alert neighbor helps townhouse occupants avoid fire in Sugar Grove

Three teenagers escaped a fire that engulfed part of a four-unit townhouse building Wednesday in Sugar Grove, authorities confirmed.

Firefighters from across the area responded around 2:30 p.m. to the 200 block of Capitol Drive, northeast of Route 47 and Galena Boulevard, after witnesses reported flames coming from one of the residences. Sugar Grove fire officials said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

"It went up fast," said Manny Coutinho of Sugar Grove, who was walking his dogs on a nearby bike path when he saw smoke coming from a middle unit. "I came around the corner, and the garage door was open with flames shooting out of the garage."

Coutinho said he beat on the front door of the burning residence, but the door was hot. He then went around to a rear entrance and saw through a window three people running down the stairs and out the front door.

Coutinho and another bystander then rescued a dog from a unit to the east of the one that was on fire.

At the scene, dozens of neighbors gathered to watch firefighters battle the flames for more than an hour. In addition to the teens and dog who were rescued, fire officials said another cat was rescued and another remains missing.

As of 7:45 p.m., investigators from the Sugar Grove Fire Department and the Kane County Arson Task Force were finishing at the scene. Sugar Grove Fire Chief Marty Kunkel said arson is not likely; the task force was merely helping with the investigation.

Three units sustained damage in the blaze. Kunkel said unit C, where the fire originated, sustained about $125,000 in structural damage and approximately $30,000 in property damage. The damage to two adjacent units was primarily structural, he said, and is estimated at $40,000 for unit B and $30,000 for unit D.

"We contained it to the unit of origin primarily because the building code requires firewall separation between units, and that stopped most of the penetration," Kunkel said. "We call it a good stop and had the flames under control in about an hour. The rest of the time is spent on the investigation and helping find community services to help the victims sort through their devastation."

Among those to stop and take photos Wednesday was Clinton Martin of Aurora, who grew curious when several fire trucks passed him as he was driving home on Galena Boulevard.

"It's bad," he said, as flames shot through the roof. "I feel bad for (the owner)."

Sugar Grove firefighters were assisted by several neighboring departments, including Montgomery, Big Rock, Aurora, North Aurora, Elburn, Oswego and Bristol Kendall.

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